From ‘old people’ to ‘senior citizens’

Our seniors are the youth, whose ‘giving’ never runs out.”

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

abu dhabi —Senior Emirati citizens have played a key role in building the UAE from the ground up, and until this day, they remain as the country’s “greater givers” with the “widest experience”, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said in approving the National Policy for Senior Emiratis.

They are the nation’s pride and model, Sheikh Mohammed said, urging the young to learn from the lives of senior citizens — a term that he said must now replace ‘old people’.

“We have instructed to change the term ‘old people’ to ‘senior citizens’,” he said. “Our seniors are the youth, whose ‘giving’ never runs out. I urge the sons of the UAE to benefit from the experience of the senior citizens and take the culture of giving, dedication, and sincerity as an approach.”

The new policy is one that pays homage to the elderly’s contribution to nation-building.

“We cannot forget what you gave and are still giving to the country. We would like to say to you that you are our pride and model,” Sheikh Mohammed said, adding that “your comfort, wellbeing, quality of your life are a national and humanitarian duty, and the government of the UAE always gives the good turn back to whoever contributed to the renaissance of the country”.